Artificial-limb joint



April 22, 1930. J. WAGNER ARTIFICIAL LIME JOINT Filed June '7, 1928 Patented Apr. 22, 1930 JAMES WA NER, or PENINSULA} onto" PArsNt crit cs ARTIFICIAL-LIME Joints Application filed June 7, 1928. Scria1 N0.-283,548.

This invention relates .-to, improvements in artificiallimbs, and more particularly to the specificv construction Among the objects in view is theprovision of means for insuring the uniformity in the case of pivotal/action of one limb member with respect to the other, and in greater detail, a further. object is the avoidance of too free pivotal action incident to 'looseness due to wear.

Astill furtherobjectis the accurateach justment and maintenanceof just the desired freedom of orfriction resistance to pivotal movement. o 1

WVith these and furtherobjeots in view, the invention comprises a joint for an artificial limb including a pivot bearing and means for taking up wear of the joint. I 5

The invention comprises certain other novel constructions, combinations, and arrangementsof parts, as will hereinafter in partbecome apparent and in part be stated.

I In the accompanying .drawings V Figure. 1 is a front elevation of knee joint working-s of the artificial limb, incorporat in'g anembodiment of, theprese'nt invention. Figure 2 is a View inside elevation of oneof the pivot members, parts of the anchoring plates or straps being broken away for the saving of space.

Figure 3 is a View similar to the castellated stud removed. 7 Figure 4 isoa view similar to Figure 3, with the top plate or strap removed.

Figure 2 with Figure 5 is an enlarged detail perspective view of the castellated stud and its receiving nut.

Figure 6 is a transverse section taken ap' proximately on the line 6--6 of Figure 2, parts being seen in elevation.

It is desirable to provide ease of pivotal movement of articulative sections of artificial limbs, but it is also desirable to avoid looseness at the place or places of the pivot or pivots. The present invention comprehends a combination of parts adapted for and capableof permitting perfect freedom for pivotal action while enabling the taking up of Wear if and when wear occurs. The invenof I the, pivotal member tion is understood by reference to theaccompanylng drawlng inwhlch 1l lndicates any two articulative parts or sections of an artificialvlimb the pivotal connection or articulation being efi'ected by the provision of plates or straps (2 2 and 33 anchored in the respective sectio ns l a plate 2 being pivoted at l to each plate 3. The pivotal connections at are duplicates of each other except for being rights and lefts as will be easily understood, and one-is illustratedin detail in Figures 2 to (Sinclusive, from which it will be observed the strap orv plate 2 terminates at ing rabbet 7 adapted to receive the flange end .8'of a sleeve nut 9 which extends through the eye 6 andforms the bearingshaft. The sleeve nut 9 extends beyond the eye 6 and through the bearing portion of the eye '5, the said bearing portion being formed with a' flat partlO snugly contacting with a flat area 11 on the sleeve nut 9 so'that the said sleeve nut moves angularly, that is, partially rotates, with the oscillations of the eye 5.

The eye 5 at its outer portion'is preferably provided with a rabbet 12 to receive the castellated or star head 13 of a securing'stud or bolt 14% which stud or bolt is threaded'into' the sleeve 9-for securing the parts, together.

The eye 5 is also preferably providedwith erturesf15 for: receiving alocking pin or bolt 16, The pin or bolt 16 is proportionedwhen threaded on one of the threaded apertures 15, to have its head located in one of theradial recesses forming the castellations or star recesses ofthe head 13 so that when the pin116 is in place, the bolt 14 is incapable of move ment independent of the eye 5, and sincethe sleeve nut 9 moves with the eye 5, the parts 9; le -and 5 are locked by the screw 16 to a relativelyfixed relation, V H

.. The, eyes ,5 and 6 may beinterlocked to pivot together incident to presence of the pivot formed by the sleeve 9 and bolt 14 in any of several difierent ways, but by preference I have formed an outstanding boss 17 surrounding the aperture of eye 6, the said boss being in the form of a truncated cone, that is, tapering from the plane at which it springs, from, the plate forming the eye 6 out to its terminus. The plate forming the eye 6 surrounding the truncated cone 17 is also preferably slightly beveled as a l .8 to form a circular inclined surface whilethe plate forming the nut eye 5 is provided With'a similar but opposing inclined surface 19 corresponding and contacting with the'surface 18, and the eye 5 being formed with a rabbet 20 at its inner face flaring and proportioned to snugly receive the truncated cone 17 as best seen in Figure 6.

Each of the plates forming respective eyes, 5 and-6, is provided with stop shoulders 21 -21, and 2222 respectively located to.

limit the. extent of possible pivotal swing of the plates or straps 2 or 3 with respect toeach other to correspond with the extent of'possible swing of the normal limb.

It will be observed that the conical contour of the boss 17' and inclined surfaces 18 and 19 insure availability of take up of wear because as wearoccurs, the drawing o-fthe plates nearer together adjustment of the bolt 13' v and consequent axial ustment of sleeve nut 9, enables any desired degree of snugness of fit notwithstanding previous wear. Furthermore, the employment of the two threaded apertures 15 adjacent, to each other, facilitates a nicety of-adjustment of the bolt 13 for effective, control of just the amount of frice tion between the two eyes 5 and 6 incident to the drawing of the slee'veflange 8 toward; the head 13f. If, when the nut 14 has been adjusted so that one of the radial recesses of head 13 registers with'one recess 14, the pivotal connection isgtoo loose and, only a, slight forward adjustment of the bolt 1A- isrequir'ed to givethe desired friction, such forward adjustment will be accomplished by the placdifferent distance apart than are the notches in the head 13, it is possible to lock the bolt 1 1 in successive positions which require rotation of less than one notch.

Iclaim:

1. A pivotal joint for artificial limbs of the class. described, comprising, in combination, a pair of complemental plates formed with registering eyes, one of said plates having a truncated, conical portion surrounding its eye while the other plate has a recess formed with a truncated conical side receiving the first mentioned conical portion on the other plate, a cylindrical sleeue extending through the eyes, a bolt engaging the sleeve and having a headformed 'with "notches, and means for locking the h-eadedboltin an adjusted posi-- tion consist-ingof a screw cooperatingwith one, of the notches in the head and either one of a plurality of notches spaced apart on one of the plates lesser-distance than the notches that are spaced aroundthe head whereby a nicetyof adjustment is provided.

2. A joint for artificial limbs of the class described, comprising, in combination, a plate having an eye, a second plate having'an eye inalignment with the first mentioned eye, a

cylindricalsleeve "having a flat portion and extendingthrough said eyes, the second mentioned eye having the surface defining the said sleeve provided with a flat portion engaging with the flat portion'ofsaid sleeve, whereby relative rotationbetween these two parts is prevented, a castellated bolt threaded in the sleeve and provided with spaced notches around its periphery, the plate having a flat portion and being also formed with a plurality of notches spaced. apart a lesser distance than the notches on the bolt, and a screw adapted to be threaded into either one of'thenotehes on the plate in a position wherein it engages one ,ofthe-notches on the bolt.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

JAMES; WAGNER.

ihg o fitlie bolt 16. in the nextrecess 14 rather i 7 than in the preceding one, or the conditions may be such that the bolt 16 has already been in the advanced recess 14: in which case the bolt 16 will; be transferred tothe rear recess 14 to register with the next advancing notch of'head 13. The relative proportions; of the webs between the notches of-head 13 with regard to the spacing-of the recesses 14, is such as to afiordopportunity for fractional adjustment of the head 13"beyond that; provided by the location of the several radial apertures ofsaid head 13-, i

other words, if only one aperturel l-were proyided, it would be necessary to turn the liead13 through an angle large. enough to bring one of the notches: into alignment with he iq 1 in efiect an a s en YP viding two apertureswhich are spaced ata 

